Double life term imprisonment to man in snake bite murder case

A sessions court in Kerala on Wednesday awarded a life sentence in the Uthra murder case to the victim’s husband for killing his wife using a cobra.

On October 11, the court had held the husband, Sooraj S Kumar, guilty of murder, poisoning, destruction of evidence, and also attempt to murder for his first try at killing his then 25-year old wife, Uthra, by using a viper. The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on him.

In a case described by the prosecution as ‘rarest of the rare’, the convict was awarded life sentences on charges of Sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) as well as 10 years rigorous imprisonment under Section 328 (causing harm using poison) and seven years imprisonment under Section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the IPC. The life imprisonment under sections 328 and 201 will begin only after 17 years, Additional Sessions Judge-VI Manoj M said. The 32-year-old has to undergo all sentences separately, the court said.

The victim’s mother Manimeghalai, who monitored the proceedings of the trial from her home in Anchal in Kollam district, said she was not happy with the verdict as she was expecting the court to award the death penalty to Sooraj. She added that the family would appeal against the verdict.